We're doing our part to support conservation around the world — and here at the Zoo!

The Brandywine Zoo is a proud supporter of initiatives that make our world more environmentally friendly. We enjoy providing our zoo members and website readers with information that will allow them to make positive choices or changes that will benefit our fragile earth.

The Zoo has had a long-standing cooperative relationship with Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research. They have always been available to offer medical and nutrition care and advice for both native and non-native birds in our collection. In turn, we have been able to give a few of their rescues a home at our Zoo, help with placement of birds at other zoo facilities, purchase difficult to attain feed and supplies and offer freezer space for their large loads of frozen fish.

The Zoo works closely with and regularly supports the Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitators Association. Providing supplies, advice and funding, the Zoo helps this network of local rehabilitators care for sick, injured and abandoned wildlife.

In 2014, the Brandywine Zoo began a monitoring project for the American kestrel in Delaware. This project is hoping to shed light on kestrel breeding and populations in the state in an effort to better understand reasons for their population decline. For more information about this project, please visit our American Kestrel Monitoring page.

NATIONAL & GLOBAL SUPPORT

Andean Condor Conservation Program; Colombia

In 2003, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) began a Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Andean Condors. The goals of this SSP were to organize collaborative efforts of AZA zoos housing Andean condors in their captive breeding programs in order to help reinvigorate wild condor populations. Since 1989, 80 captive bred condors have been reintroduced in South America through the AZA's release program. Additionally, through the SSP wild populations are monitored with wing tags and radio tracking devices. This helps researchers gather data identifying condor ranges, which will help conservationists identify appropriate habitats to protect. The SSP for Andean condors is coordinated by efforts of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

The Lion Tamarins of Brazil Fund is helping to study, preserve and protect remaining populations of golden lion tamarins in the Amazon Rainforest. Due to habitat fragmentation, golden lion tamarin populations have dramatically declined over the last 50 years, with an estimate of only about 1,200 remaining in the wild.

Since 1981, the Brandywine Zoo has been participating in the Species Survival Plan (SSP), an AZA captive breeding program for endangered species, for golden lion tamarins. Through this program, tamarins born at Brandywine Zoo have had the opportunity to go through the National Zoo's reintroduction program, where captive-born monkeys have been reintroduced into Poço das Antas Biological Reserve, Brazil, in a controlled release. This program helps to increase genetic diversity and population numbers of wild tamarins. For more information about this program, visit the Lion Tamarins of Brazil Fund page.

Siberian (Amur) Tiger Conservation Program; Russia

The Brandywine Zoo supports conservation research and protection of Siberian, also know as Amur, tigers living in Russia through a partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society and their Siberian Tiger Project research and conservation program.

The goal of the Siberian Tiger Project is to collect the best possible scientific information on tiger ecology for use in conservation plans through field tracking and radio collaring. More than 60 tigers have been collared and tracked since 1992, shedding light on tiger social structures, land use patterns, food habits, reproduction, mortality and relationships with other species, including humans. To read more about this program, visit WCS's Siberian Tiger Program page.

OTHER EFFORTS

Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)

On a national level, the Brandywine Zoo is very active in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) conservation initiatives for Species Survival Plans of endangered and threatened species. Visit our Species Protection page to find out more about which of our animals participate in SSP.